Light. Exploits; Book I.

Part 8. Fall From Grace.

A million thoughts rushed in my mind.
Damnable Hive. Cause me all that turmoil.
Hey... You hear that? Farah asked over my shoulder.
Unfortunately. I respond shakily.
We need to leave this place. Much dark. Too dark. Too loud. To quiet. I began to babble.
Skylir is close. We'll get him and leave. Farah pushes me forward.
I could have blown past her.
No regard of weather I killed her or not.
But I still was going to push in deeper.
It's like she had a hold of me.
I both loved and loathed this feeling.
The rocks became jagged.
Twisted marks gouged into the walls.
There's a Pit here. She noticed.
The screams were beginning to become bearable. But in a flash my mind locked in a single thought.
Why?
Why would there be a Summoning Pit on Earth?
So close to the City?
The Tower?
The Traveler?
Have the Vanguard been patrolling at all?
What about the Speaker?
Did he feel nothing?
And why a Fallen?
If the City doesn't know then they surely do.
Why would a Baron be down here?
We come out to a large chasm like area.
More than enough room to finally stand.
Wow... Look at this... Farah awes.
I'm both dumbstruck and terrified.
How long you think they were here to make this? Farah asks.
Too long, I say softly as I can't help but admire the torches.
Ahhhhh... I sigh.
I've felt it.
Light.
This is an abandoned Summoning Pit. The Light must have chased the Hive away eons ago. I say levelheaded.
Oh I see. So that's why sans the dismemberment? She jokes.
Yeah... That's one reason, I chortle.
So you didn't answer my question. Farah says kneeling, studying the dirt.
You didn't ask anything, I say looking over the dark glyphs. The Vanguard will love to study this.
I heard her shift uncomfortably.
Why do you have to leave? She said bluntly.
I stood for what felt like a lifetime. I could only breathe.
I... I started.
But soon paused.
I don't know...
Those three words shattering a flimsy silence.
I felt emotion.
That's dangerous.
Especially to me.
Especially to her.
Bullshit, she swore.
Bullshit... I whispered.
I turned to face her, she stared at the ground.
I was hurt.
Usually children are selfish.
Only care about themselves.
But I suppose we aren't children.
Weren't children.
I was hurt I hurt her.
She was hurt she made me hurt her.
I tired to speak but choked instead.
How my words were caught.
We continued to study and photograph the area, our Ghosts buzzing around.
I turned around and looked at Farah, her back to me.
Here was this Hunter, such a nimble little thing.
Could have any other guardian she wanted with her skill and guile.
And here she is with me.
Why?
What could I offer her besides madness and cryptic babbling and pessimism?
I was a fool to think a Hunter would make a friend.
To think any Guardian would make a friend.
With me of all.
I can't stay in the City anymore... I say finally.
She stops and looks up, her back still to me.
With the Darkness rising anew... I've decided to go and seek the forgotten Champions of Light. Starting with the old Warlocks.
She is silent. But she balls her fists.
Take me with you... She says under the wispy breeze.
I stand and ponder my answer.
Even though I know I'll say no.
Farah... I can't... Your place is here. Defending the City. I say as if giving her reason to not miss me.
She looks back at me finally.
I'll just follow you... She hisses.
I say nothing, knowing she will and I couldn't stop her.
I look up to her again.
Finally. But for the final time.
She's in a full sprint toward me with her hand at her hip touching her knife.
I panic and reach for my shotgun but she pushes me away and I see a hole tear through her chest as she is lifted off the ground.
Her blood splattered along patternless.
I look up and see the cloaking of a Captain disengage.
He laughs a terrible mocking laugh as he tosses her aside and twirls his swords, ready for me next.
I am just able to raise my shotgun in time to block him, his air thin shield wisping around him. He wrestles me before he kicks me away.
He has purpose.
I slide along the ground as he gets what he wanted.
Distance.
He dashes to Farah.
He reaches down and takes her Ghost.
I start running.
But I waited too long.
Hesitated too much.
He almost looks at me as he slowly and deliberately crushes the Ghost in his palm.
I swear he smiled at me as he stabbed Farah one more time in the chest.
I screamed as I threw a Lance Nova at him.
He sidestepped and tried to slash and swipe me.
But I swerve and weave my way into his form.
My shotgun is Arc.
I remove many bits of all important flesh from the equation.
I plug every shell into his skull.
There is a small steaming crater as I stand gasping and panting.
No... No no no no no... I say walking over to Farah.
She's running her hands along her wounds, her Ghost, dead, not healing her.
That's a- she chokes as I try to peel off her helmet.
A lot... Of blood. She gasps.
Farah you're gonna listen to me, I say taking her hand.
My Ghost is going to heal you,
I can't Guardian, my Ghost laments in my ear.
I had half an urge to smash it right there.
But it was senseless rage.
Farah looks up and cries at the pain.
It throbs through her chest and ribs.
I feel like I'm about to cry.
I hold it within myself and whisper to my Ghost as I take her hand.
Numb the pain.... Make it easy... I look down at her.
My face concealed by a Vanguard hood.
Make her feel at home... out on the tundra. Let her hunt...
Dylan... She gasps asking for my hand.
I squeeze silently. My sign letting her know I'm still with her.
He body shudders and jerks softly before she reaches her final moment.
It was profound in a way.
Death.
I'm no stranger to accidents.
Some lethal.
But not to a Guardian without a working Ghost.
Here I was instead on the outside looking in.
Such an intimate moment of Passover.
And I was humbled.
But never felt so helpless.
I couldn't help her.
Only the Light of a Guardian's Ghost can heal the body of a Guardian.
She breathed in once more and held it.
As if she was trying to prolong the inevitable still.
She was fighting.
But she would lose.
Her eyes faded as a single tear rolled down her face. I looked down and picked her up.
I was at a loss for word.
Let Cayde know a Hunter is dead. I told my Ghost.
He'll want to give her proper rites.
In an instant I was bathed in light and being teleported to my ship.